Rotary sweeper brush having plastic impregnated core



July 6, 1954 L. M. BALLARD 2,682,679

ROTARY SWEEPER BRUSH HAVING PLASTIC IMPREGNATED CORE Filed Dec. 24, 1951 I a l.

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r ToQA/Ex Patented July 6, 1954 ROTARY SWEEPER BRUSH HAVING PLASTIC IMPREGNATED CORE Louis M. Ballard, Duarte, Calif., assignor to Wayne Manufacturing Company,

Pomona,

Calif., a corporation of California Application December 24, 1951, Serial No. 263,090

This invention relates vto an improved type of rotary brush typically usable as the main transverse brush of a street sweeping machine.

Brushes embodying the present invention include essentially a core adapted to be mounted for rotation, and an elongated bristle-supporting member wrapped helically about the core to form between its successive turns a helical groove within which the bristles are anchored. The bristles are generally retained within this groove by forming each bristle to have a doubled or looped portion in the groovey and then helically wrapping within those doubled portions of the bristles a wire-like retaining element.

The general object of this invention is to provide an improved brush of the above general type, which is specially designed throughout for minimum cost of manufacture, and yet at the same time is sufliciently rugged to withstand very heavy use. This result is achieved in part by a unique manner of forming the helical bristle supporting member. Specically, this member may comprise an elongated strip of felt material wound about the core of the brush and preferably impregnated with a resinous plastic material, which may be ofa hard setting type adapted to form with the felt a hard and strong bristle positioning member.

I nd it desirable to provide within the bristle receiving groove means for lining the groove in a manner assuring most effective support and positioning of the bristles, For this purpose, I may employ an elongated strip of sheet material preferably of a woven fabric such as glass cloth, wound helically within the groove and curved to a U-shaped conguration corresponding generally to thev groove. This groove lining sheet may be impregnated with a resinous plastic material serving both to strengthen it and bond it to the other parts of the brush.

Further features of the invention have to do with a preferred construction for the main body of the brush about which the bristles and bristle supporting members are Wound. In particular, the brush body may include a central core, in combination with a layer of material Wrapped about the core and forming a base for the other parts of the brush. The core may take the form of a tubular metal screen, and the base material may comprise a sheet of felt wound about and suitably secured to the screen. Desirably, the felt is strengthened by impregnation with a preferably hard setting resinous plastic material, which may extend into the openings of the screen in a manner tightly bonding the felt to the screen.

2 Claims. (Cl. 15-182) The above and other features and objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary View of a rotary brush embodying the invention, with the bristles at the viewed side ofthe brush being broken away to show the external appearance of the brush body;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken axially through an end portion on the line 2 2 of the Fig. 1 brush;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the brush taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the various components forming the brush body.

Referring rst toFlg. 2, the brush Ill is built up around an elongated, cylindrical, hollow, perforated screen II, adapted to be mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis by a pair of shafts I2 projecting axially from opposite ends of Vthe core and journaled within bearings I3 (only one shaft and bearing shown). Core II may be of any conventional type of perforated screen, such as of woven wire or punched sheet metal.

It is desirable that the mounting shafts I2 be removably attached to core II and its carried parts. For this purpose, core I I may contain near each of its ends a pair of axially spaced transverse partitions Id and I5, suitably secured to the core as by welding at I6, and carrying at their centers an axially extending tubular boss I1 removably receiving the inner end of the corresponding shaft I2, For fastening each shaft to the core, the shaft may carry a transverse circular plate I8 engaging the ends of screen core II and the brush parts carried about the core, and fastened at a number of circularly spaced locations by screw bolts I 9 to bosses 20 carried by the core partition I4.

In forming the body of the brush, I first wrap types of brushes, a thermosetting resin may be employed. The following resins are typically useable for the purpose: phenolic resins (e. g. phenolformaldehyde), urea resins (e. g. urea-formaldehyde), alkyd resins, vinyl resins, and others commonly used as bonding and impregnating materials.

About base member 2| I helically wrap an elongated bristle supporting member 22, which extends continuously from one end of the brush to the other. Successive turns of this member are spaced axially apart to form between its turns a helical bristle receiving groove 23. Member 22, which may be of rectangular transverse section as shown, is preferably formed of relatively thick felt impregnated with a hard setting resinous plastic material such as that impregnating sheet 2|.

The helical bristle receiving groove 23 may be lined by a suitable initially flexible elongated strip of sheet material 24, Wound helically within the groove and formed to a U-shaped configuration corresponding generally to, but curving at the corners of, the groove. Lining strip 24 is desirably of a woven fabric, such as glass cloth, and is impregnated with a hard drying resin such as that employed for impregnating base sheet 2| and bristle supporting member 22.

Within liner 24 and along the entire helical extent thereof are anchored the inner doubled portions 25 of conventionally formed essentially U-shaped bristles 2E, which project radially outwardly from the brush body for engagement with a work surface. All of the bristles are retained to the brush body by a single wire or cable 2i wound helically about the body and through the inner doubled portions 25 of the bristles. The wire is wound tightly to assure positive retention of the bristles and is suitably fastened at its opposite ends to screen In assembling the brush, the base sheet 2|, bristle supporting member 22, and groove liner 2e may all be impregnated at approximately the same time with a suitable hard drying resin of the type previously discussed, and then applied in succession about screen core in the relation illustrated. Sufficient resin is applied to the inner surface of felt base sheet 2| to extend through the openings of screen and to its inner side, in a manner embedding screen Within the resin to form a tight and positive connection between sheet 2| and the screen. Similarly, suflicient resin is applied to parts 2|, 22 and 24 to form eiective bonds between these parts and to ll the corners 29 of bristle receiving groove 23. After all of these resin impregnated parts have been applied to core the resin is dried or cured in the manner customary for the particular resin employed, and the result is a hardened externally grooved core body Whose parts are tightly bonded together by the cured resin. The bristles may then be fastened in place, shafts |2 attached to the opposite ends of the brush, and the brush mounted Within its bearings |3 for use.

I claim:

l. A rotary brush comprising a tubular aper tured screen, means on the screen for rotatively mounting it, a sheet of felt base material fastened about said screen, an elongated strip of felt wound helically about said base material and screen, successive turns of said felt strip being spaced apart to form therebetween a helical groove, a resinous plastic material impregnating said felt sheet and strip and extending into the apertures of said screen, U-shaped bristles having doubled portions received Within said groove and projecting outwardly therefrom, and an elongated bristle-retaining member wound helically within said groove and extending through said doubled portions of the bristles.

2. A rotary brush comprising a cylindrical perforated'metallic screen, shaft means projecting from opposite ends of said screen and adapted to mount it for rotation, a sheet of felt Wrapped about and substantially covering said screen, an elongated strip of felt Wound helically about said felt sheet and screen, successive turns of said felt strip being spaced apart to form therebetween a helical groove, an elongated strip of woven cloth of U-shaped transverse section wound helically Within and lining said groove, a hardened resinous plastic material impregnating and bonding together said felt sheet, felt strip and Woven fabric and extending'into the perforations of said screen, bristles having doubled portions received Within said groove and projecting outwardly therefrom, and an elongated element Wound helically within said doubled portions of the bristles to retain them in said groove.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,950,379 Angell Mar. 13, 1934 2,045,373 Scully et al June 23, 1936 2,357,763 Pratt Sept. 5, 1944 2,505,610 Ellinger Apr. 25, 1950 2,520,863 Thomas Aug. 29, 1950 2,553,748 Carlson et al. May 22, 1951 2,604,362 Sugerman et al. July 22, 1952 

